L’Oréal USA, a subsidiary of L’Oréal S.A., the world’s largest beauty company, has announced the acquisition of the operations of Peel’s Salon Services. Peel’s, headquartered in Omaha, NE, will become part of SalonCentric, the professional products distribution operation of L’Oréal USA.

Peel’s is a fourth generation business. Founded in 1937 as a small barber-only supply store in Hutchinson, KS, Peel’s has grown to a business with revenues of over $100 million, 57 professional-only stores, over 90 sales consultants and more than 500 employees. In addition to warehouse and office operations in Kansas, Colorado and Nebraska, Peel’s also has a distribution center in Nebraska, which will provide a logistical hub for SalonCentric in the U.S.

“We are very pleased to welcome Peel’s to SalonCentric,” says Paul Sharnsky, president of SalonCentric. “There is a sharing of common values in both our businesses, including a passion for hairdressers and the salon industry as well as a longstanding commitment to this business. This acquisition will provide SalonCentric with the opportunity to fully serve professional hairdressers in the mid-U.S. as Peel’s territory includes North and South Dakota, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Montana, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, New Mexico, Minnesota and Missouri.” This latest development, consistent with the strategic intent of all the distributorship acquisitions, provides SalonCentric with a distribution territory covering the vast majority of the United States.

“The decision to sell to L’Oréal was a natural one for the family,” adds Bill Peel, president of Peel’s. “Our two companies have been linked for a very long time. Our father, Bob Peel Sr., was one of the first Redken distributors in the U.S. back in the ‘60s. About 10 years later, our company also became the first Matrix distributor in the U.S. Both Redken and Matrix are now L’Oréal brands. We’ve built our success on one simple philosophy: ‘Help the salon customer to be a better business person and you will earn all their business.’ That’s a philosophy we share with SalonCentric.”

Peel’s is the fourth acquisition for SalonCentric over the past 12 months, including CB Sullivan, Maly’s Midwest and Marshall Salon Services.